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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26942179">Imperium: Side Stories</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/KentuckyTheFried/pseuds/KentuckyTheFried'>KentuckyTheFried</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Imperium [2]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Xenoblade Chronicles X</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Self-Acceptance, Self-Discovery</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-10-11</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-01-07</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-18 02:40:10</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>4,087</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26942179</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/KentuckyTheFried/pseuds/KentuckyTheFried</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Where did Pongo go after his fight with L? What's been destroying all the mining probes on Mira? Why is H.B. walking around NLA shirtless? This is a collection of one-shots that take place during Imperium, featuring many of the game's main cast that may not have necessarily been featured in the story. It's highly recommended that you read Imperium first to understand some of the context of these pieces, but some of these chapters can also be read as stand-alone pieces.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Imperium [2]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1966039</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. All That We Are</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Yay for side stories! I mainly created this so I had an excuse to show off this first fic, but I've got plans for a couple other fics that fit in Imperium's timeline, so it's a one-shot collection now!<br/>For context on this piece: this takes place directly after the Oblivia chapter (Chapter 3). Enjoy! ~</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Eros landed with no certain grace in Noctilum’s Decapotamon, and Pongo jumped out of the cockpit and stumbled onto the lush greenery with his head in his hands. During the flight from Oblivia he’d been sobbing; his hands hurt from being clenched up for so long, and now they searched through his hair, his exposed nails digging into his skin. He wasn’t able to walk far from his Skell before he fell to his knees, the exhaustion of sadness gripping his body and sending convulsions down his back. He’d lost everything in one afternoon. He’d lost his home, his job, his best friend…</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>And all that was left was for him was Mira.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Pongo heard its voice before, a distant echo inside his head. He always assumed it was his inner conscious - everyone had those, that was normal, wasn’t it? - but in the past few months, it had grown louder, louder. Things he believed to be normal about himself were considered strange, deemed impossible for humans. He was a human, it shouldn’t be impossible for him if he was a human, there had to be some rational explanation for what was happening to him aside from never being human to begin with. What was he supposed to think about this? What questions did he need answered first? What could he say, what could he do to make things right again? Was there even anything he could do to change this?</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>In the midst of his breakdown, the voice he had called his inner conscious spoke. It was a whisper, an echo that was encapsulating and all knowing. Pongo froze as he heard it, knowing he could give it a name if he so desired, knowing that it already had a name he could give it.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>You are one emotional bastard, huh?</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Who are you?” Pongo asked the first question that came to him, his own voice cracking with fatigue.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>Are you fucking - okay, hold on, do you remember the conversation you had with L’Cirufe not even a few hours ago? He said my name, fuck, YOU said my name. You already know who I am.</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You are a rock floating in space. Forgive me if the idea that the planet is sentient is still something I have a hard time understanding.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>Is it really that weird of a concept considering how much shit you have already seen? Also, I take offense to that. I am not just a rock, I am a LIVING rock, and a very pretty one at that.</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Pongo finally forced his head out of his hands, trying to sit up straight but failing. He could see the edge of the waterfalls in front of him, cascades of water almost calling to him to escape this madness. He let his hands unfurl on his thighs, cool leather kissing his skin.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Why did I not know this until now?” Pongo asked, “Why am I only now beginning to understand who I - what I am?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The voice didn’t answer right away, taking its time to formulate a response. When it spoke again, some of the edge in its tone had resided.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>You were supposed to remain an empty vessel for my conscious to reside in. When I was creating you, it was when the humans first discovered miranium as a source of energy for their machines. They started to mine it in excess, and…</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Pongo shuddered as a foreign memory resurfaced, of an excruciating pain that took control of every part of his body. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>It hurt. Miranium is to me as blood is to you, and without enough miranium to sustain my creation, I had to leave parts of it unfinished. I released you too early, and as a result, a human stumbled across you and you developed into Pongo.</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“So I was a mistake,” Pongo said miserably.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>...I mean, I never said that, but yes. At the very least, your consciousness, your personality, was never meant to exist.</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Why not get rid of me then? Erase me from this body so you could have it for yourself?” He spat, “Obviously you want revenge on the human race for the pain they have caused you, so what is stopping you from taking over now?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He was met with a pause, then a small noise, an indication of understanding that infuriated Pongo.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>Would you really let me do that?</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Pongo glared down at the ground, inhaling sharply as Mira posed its question. He felt the answer come to his lips, a quick response based on his gut instincts, but he was distracted by a new presence. A shadow moved across his body and he looked up, noticing that a fleet of levitaths were floating above him and moving to the north. Pongo watched how the ether collected around their spined wings, how some fell likes stars from their high graces, glowing still in the sun. The levitaths hummed, a sound that reached inside of his heart and soothed it, and only in that moment did Pongo realize that their song was a message. He’d heard it hundreds, thousands of times before, some within his own time and some memories that he couldn’t call his own. But he knew what they were saying all the same.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The levitaths sang of heartbreak. They sang of a time when the world was peaceful, when all of life was in harmony, when there was a balance between life and death. It was a period of Mira’s history that Pongo shouldn’t have been able to recount, yet as he watched the levitaths fly through the air, he started to piece together all of the fragments he’d collected. Mira created everything that walked its land, everything that swam in its oceans, everything that flew in its skies. When two of its creations - two opposing humanoid races - had disturbed the peace in the name of domination, Mira had stepped in to eliminate the threat. It had to, or else the entire planet would have succumbed to a senseless war. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Mira’s history was being repeated, Pongo discovered as his fingers dug into his palms, and this time, Mira was being indirectly targeted. Back then its ecosystems were at risk, and now with humans mining everything they could for weapons development, the planet itself was dying. Pongo was created as a guide, but what use was he when so much damage had already been done? If humans had been killing Mira for all this time, what was stopping Mira from wiping them out just as it had done with L’s race?</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You want all of humanity dead,” Pongo said, gritting his teeth, “So no. I would not let you erase me.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>Because they were the ones who made you who you are. </em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Because they are complex and beautiful creatures who just want to survive.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>That is the same wish of every creature who walks this land. That does not make humanity special.</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Does that make them any less worth protecting?!” Pongo’s frustration boiled over, and the question was screamed into the now fading daylight. “How are they supposed to change their ways if we do not tell them?! You are not even giving them a chance to change!! It is like you </span>
  <em>
    <span>enjoy </span>
  </em>
  <span>going on mass murdering sprees and killing off entire races because they inconvenience you with their ideals!!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>How is my death an inconvenience?!</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The planet shook, an earthquake that had Pongo clinging to the grass beneath his feet. Its voice had regained its edge, a fire that had been rekindled by rage. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>Your precious mentor knows full well that I am sentient. She could have taken that knowledge and told your people to treat me with more respect.</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Elma knows about you?” Pongo said, “How -”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>The Lifehold Core.</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Mira explained this, retaining the poison laced within its tone. Pongo’s grip loosened on the grass, the earthquake having passed in an instant. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>The memories of every human are stored there. But when the Lifehold Core struck my surface, everything was flooded and damaged. Had I not intervened, there would be no human race to speak of.</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Pongo’s brow furrowed, confused. “If what you say is true, then why did you save them? You have the chance to kill them yourself.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>When they began to mine in excess of what they needed, I definitely thought about it. But by then...you had been in their care for a good while. You were developing into something beautiful. A protector who valued all life regardless of past incidents or mistakes. If I had killed all of humanity then...you would have been alone.</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Like L’Cirufe was for so many years,” Pongo whispered. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>I was not going to repeat that mistake no matter how much I hated humanity. </em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“So what do you want me to do? I could go back to the city, tell everyone to stop mining or at least decrease it -”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>They would never listen to either of us. Humans are too dependent on miranium now. </em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I can make them listen.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>How?</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Pongo finally stood up, facing the distant waterfalls. The ether that the levitaths had produced were now falling like snow around his feet, drawn to his body in a way he had never experienced before. His left arm twitched at his side, like it was repulsed by the surrounding ether, but he held it steady. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“The mining probes,” Pongo explained, “The ones planted on every continent. There have been more missions to plant them as of late to keep up with the demand for miranium. I could destroy a few as a way to send a message.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>You would rather do that than speak to your humans directly?</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You said it yourself. They would not listen to me, not if I used that approach. Besides, even if I thought that could be an option…”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Pongo trailed off, taking a deep breath in through his nose. The air was sweet with the scent of Noctilum’s fauna, blooming in the humidity and basking in the warmth of the setting sun. Noctilum was a beautiful continent at night, and he would look forward to seeing the energy mist - wait, no, of course. He did a double take as he remembered how Mira was connected to him now, that he’d know what weather was coming. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>This was only one of the reasons why he couldn’t go back to the city. New Los Angeles, the place Pongo had called home for so long, was full of people who would question these abilities, people who could turn against him for pursuing a cause that could hurt humanity. Until he knew the full extent of his connection to Mira, he couldn’t return, not in good conscience. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>Humans fear what they cannot understand. Their fears would only be heightened if you came to them not knowing your full self.</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It was as if Mira had read his thoughts, or they’d shared the same ones unwillingly. Pongo looked over his shoulder, back at his Skell. Eros was an artificial addition to Noctilum’s scenery, and a disgusting mechanical footprint that humans had used to traverse Mira for months on end. Nothing about it was natural anymore, not in comparison to the planet’s life. Nothing about it felt right, not to Pongo. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Then tell me everything,” Pongo asked the planet, “Show me everything. I want to understand.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>You would give up your life amongst the humans for this? </em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“To be able to understand you? I would give up anything.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The response came so naturally to Pongo’s lips that he surprised himself. He loved his life in NLA, he loved all the friends he’d made and the memories he’d created with them. To leave them all behind in the name of something he’d just discovered was unreasonable at best, insane at worst. But if he could figure out how Mira thought, how Mira worked...then there was only one choice, if it meant he could save the city.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>Then first things first. There is a probe not far from here. Want to wreck some shit?</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Pongo nodded once, a simple confirmation. Pulling out his photon saber and igniting the blade, he began to walk towards the nearest probe. Every probe brought offline would bring unwarranted attention, so he’d have to be efficient about its destruction and quick about his escape. Stealth was never his greatest attribute as a BLADE, but he wouldn’t need it if he was fast enough. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>As he walked in the Decapotamon, Pongo passed a group of terebras playing in the shallow waters. They stopped splashing around when he grew close, and his heart clenched up when he realized that they were bowing. No, he wouldn’t be treated like a king when all he was was a throne for a king to sit on. He bowed back before continuing on his way.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. To Guide These Lives</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Lao wakes up on a beach in Primordia. He knows he's not supposed to be here, so how is he alive, and who's that weird hooded figure nearby?<br/>Takes place after Imperium's third chapter, Oblivia.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>He remembered the darkness. He remembered the pain of the Lifehold’s protoplasmic fluid, the fusion of Earthen DNA into his mechanical body. He remembered their frightened stares upon seeing his new form, their weapons drawn with either forced confidence or hesitant necessity. He remembered dying.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>But the fact that he remembered at all meant he was alive.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Consciousness found him slowly, as did his senses. He could feel sand underneath his fingertips, on the patches of skin exposed under torn armor and fabric. He heard waves crashing softly against the shore and the wind whistling a quiet tune. He smelled the saltwater, the fresh air he associated with Primordia. But he could smell something else too, and hear it - a fire. Yes, the smell of burning wood, distinct crackling as branches snapped under the flame’s pressure. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>When his eyes finally managed to open, his name returned to him, as did most of the memories that came before his transformation. Lao. Lao Huang. He was a husband, a father, a soldier, a traitor. The bad deeds far outweighed the good. He saw the sky above him, the stars and all their might, and he knew none of this was for him. Wherever he was, he wouldn’t believe he was alive. He didn’t deserve it, not after everything he’d done. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Lao forced himself to sit up, his arms shaking as they pressed into the sand below. His back groaned in pain - hell, his entire body felt sore, but that was to be expected considering how he died. A brief question about Lin’s safety crossed his mind before he saw the fire firsthand. Sat next to it was a hooded figure, a shadow barely seen in the night. They made no indication that they’d seen Lao get up, but he was almost certain the figure knew he was there. Would he have gone through the trouble of making a fire otherwise? </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Lao decided to try his luck. He stood himself up, dusting off the sand that stuck to his forearms and hands before heading towards the hooded figure. He couldn’t even see their features under the hood, couldn’t tell if this was a human or not. As he neared the fire he discovered he was growing warmer; he’d been cold before but hadn’t taken the time to realize it. A shiver ran down his shoulders and he sat down opposite to the figure without thinking of the consequences. His breath had begun to leave his mouth in condensed puffs, proof that the night was beautiful but unforgiving. Maybe next time he tried to destroy humanity, he’d wear something warmer. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <b>
    <em>Good to see you awake.</em>
  </b>
  <span>”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The figure finally spoke, and while his voice sounded familiar, there was an otherworldly echo to it, like he and Lao were inside an invisible cavern. Lao looked up, trying to see past the hood that obscured the figure’s face, trying to see if he could recognize him. But it was to no avail. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“How long has it been?” Lao asked.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <b>
    <em>Since what?</em>
  </b>
  <span>”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Since I died.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The figure paused. “</span>
  <b>
    <em>About two months.</em>
  </b>
  <span>”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Lao frowned at that. There was no way he’d washed up on a beach and hadn’t been found by any wandering BLADEs for two whole months. Too many BLADEs had hearts of gold - despite everything Lao did, despite everything he wished they would think of him, many would still go out of their way to help him. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>That was, unless, he </span>
  <em>
    <span>was </span>
  </em>
  <span>dead and this was hell. That’d be disappointing. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“And who are you?” Lao said with a hint of sarcasm, “It was nice of you to build a fire for me and not wake me up from my dirt nap.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <b>
    <em>I have been preoccupied. I meant to help you sooner, but I had more pressing things to attend to.</em>
  </b>
  <span>” The figure said plainly.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Help me with what, exactly?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <b>
    <em>...Wait, do you still think you are dead? Ha, okay, I get it now,</em>
  </b>
  <span>” He chuckled, “</span>
  <b>
    <em>Lao Huang, you are very much alive right now. You are in your original body, too, but I had to patch up a few things here and there, so those parts will need time to sync properly with your programming.</em>
  </b>
  <span>”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Lao froze. No. No, he couldn’t be alive. He wouldn’t know where to begin again, if he could begin again at all. His silence spoke a thousand words, and he could only wonder if the figure knew what he wanted, what he needed. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What...what exactly did you do to me?” Lao’s words were slow, cautious, after the silence he had created became too much to bear.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <b>
    <em>I do not have access to the same resources humans do when repairing mimeosomes, so I repaired your broken parts as best I could with miranium. Most of the time, the synchronization process is quick and painless, and -</em>
  </b>
  <span>”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Miranium? How the fuck…”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Lao could swear that under the hood, the figure was smiling. “</span>
  <b>
    <em>I have my secrets. Just be grateful that I am giving you a second chance here.</em>
  </b>
  <span>”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Why?” Lao growled, “I didn’t ask for a second chance.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <b>
    <em>Too bad. You have too many things you need to atone for.</em>
  </b>
  <span>”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The figure, despite their hood covering their face, began to stare Lao down. The night did him no favors in revealing the figure’s features, but he swore he caught a small white glint where a human’s eyes should be. He was the first to look away, tucking his knees tight to his chest. The fire felt cold and unwelcome now, teasing him, mocking his reclusiveness. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You didn’t answer my question before,” Lao grumbled.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>“Hm?”</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I asked who you are.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He didn’t vocalize his feelings, how he knew he’d heard the figure’s voice before. A part of him wanted to reach out and yank the hood off the figure’s face to connect the dots, but he held back in the hopes that the figure would answer. The figure shifted, emitting a soft chuckle almost disguised by the crackling flames.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You know who I am, Lao.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The otherworldly aspect had vanished completely, and in its place was a voice Lao could identify immediately. His eyes widened as the figure reached for his hood, adjusting it so that it still sat on top of his head, but didn’t obscure his face. Pale skin and shaggy black hair emerged from the comfort of the hood, and pupiless indigo eyes peered from under their shadows.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Pongo,” Lao breathed.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Pongo grinned, a sad and pitiful thing. Lao knew what fueled it, what he must be feeling. Their encounter in Cauldros, a Prog Ares against a standard Lailah model, a traitor against a protector, flashed in his mind like a clip from a movie. He hadn’t felt real in that moment, and something about their encounter tonight didn’t feel real either. That was what made Lao return the grin, not the solace in being saved, and definitely not the solace in being reunited with a kid he’d stabbed in the back.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I am sorry about what happened back in the Core,” Pongo apologized, soft and sincere, “We...we had no choice. You were...no, no, that was not you.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You can say it,” Lao’s shoulder’s dropped, the shock of Pongo’s reveal fading already. “I know what I did. I’m happy you were able to stop me before things got fucked beyond repair.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Knowing your past mistakes brings you one step closer to redeeming yourself,” The Interceptor said, “Though, do you want to redeem yourself? Mira did not give you much of a choice it seems -”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Mira? Wait, what does the planet have to do with this?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>And suddenly Pongo froze in place. Lao squinted and noticed that Pongo’s left eye twitched once, nearly insignificant. Slowly, surely, the indigo of his eyes turned to white, milky and glazed. Lao sat back and watched as Pongo realigned himself, standing with a posture Lao had never associated with him. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>“He practically begged me to revive you,”</em>
  </b>
  <span> He spoke, and the strange echo returned to his voice. </span>
  <b>
    <em>“And it took a lot of convincing, but in the end I figured this was a good start to my own redemption path.”</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Who…” Lao was at a loss for words, dumbfounded by the transformation he’d witnessed. Pongo - Pongo? - sighed, shaking his head with an indignant disappointment. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>“I need to spell things out for you, huh? Is this going to be a trend? Whatever, fine. My name is Mira. I am the planet you inhabit, and I created Pongo as an avatar to enact my will upon humanity.”</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Lao blinked once. Twice. Three times.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“The planet...it’s alive?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>“Is that really the most bizarre explanation you have been given?”</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“No, I just...well, I guess it does explain a few things in retrospect.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Pongo - no, </span>
  <em>
    <span>Mira </span>
  </em>
  <span>- tilted his head. </span>
  <b>
    <em>“How so?”</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You revived me, so I get the feeling you’re coldhearted and take pleasure in other peoples’ pain.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Mira snorted before chuckling. </span>
  <b>
    <em>“You really wanted to stay dead THAT badly?”</em>
  </b>
  <span> Lao opened his mouth to answer, but Mira continued quickly, </span>
  <b>
    <em>“Do not answer that, because I know what you are going to say. You need to atone for your mistakes in life. If you really want to waste your second chance, then fine, go throw yourself into the Yawning Giant, I will not stop you. But at least THINK before you do.”</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Lao stayed quiet as Mira bent forward, stoked the fire with a long stick nearby. The embers that flew from the flames tried so desperately to touch the night, but they had neither the strength or the resolve to complete the journey. They would always fail. It was in their very nature to fall. Was Lao an ember, destined to fall from greatness and never see the light? Was he going to hit the ground and disappear with the wind before ever seeing the sky? He felt deep in his heart that no second chance could save a dying ember like himself, that it was foolish to even try.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>And yet…</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Lao missed the city. He missed his nights at the bar with Doug after long days at work. He missed hearing Lin scold him for mishandling his weapons. He missed his team, however derelict their relationship was. He missed being alone and holding his mementos of Charmaine and Chenshi, dreaming about the day he’d resurrect them both with the Lifehold Core. He could still do that. He could still bring them back.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Okay. Where do I start?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Mira looked up, white eyes under a black hood. </span>
  <b>
    <em>“You have a lot of apologies to make. I bet BLADE will make you run through hoops to redeem yourself, and you might get punched by a few select individuals. But whether or not you go back to the city right away is up to you.”</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“It’s not like I have anywhere else to go,” Lao admitted casually. However, the way Mira’s face shifted sent a strange chill up his spine. It was like a spark had flown through his brain, like a newborn idea had suddenly grown into a fully fledged plan. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>“If you really want time to think on your approach, I might have a job for you,”</em>
  </b>
  <span> Mira grinned, something devilish and excited, </span>
  <b>
    <em>“You are a Pathfinder, no?”</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Y-Yeah.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>“Fantastic. That means you know how to deactivate mining probes, I wager. If not, you strike me as a type who knows how to deal a mean amount of property damage.”</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Lao scowled, thoroughly confused. “Why the fuck would you want to destroy mining probes?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>From underneath the hood, Mira took a deep breath, rolled its shoulders back, looked to the stars.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>“Simple, really. You need to apologize to humanity. I need humanity to fucking BEG for forgiveness.”</em>
  </b>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Can you tell I don't have a firm grasp on Lao yet. Anyways that ending scene after the main story is pretty cool huh</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
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